OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 46

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

At a mooting of the Ladies' Challenge Shield Committee held at the Garrison Hall on Friday eveuing.and attended by Lieut -colonel Webb (in the chair) and eight representafcires of corps, ib was decided to hold the annual competition for the trophy oa Saturday, 2nd February 1895, under the same conditions aud regulations aa govnrued last year's firing. Captain Chalmer, of B B*lt'try, was appointed secretary and treatmrer aud Lieutenants Johiuston (North Dunedin R;uVh) and Barclay (Engineer*) a rr nge committee. Some discussion took place on the Rubject of the constitution of the committee, and as it transpired that no minute book or other record of past transactions was available, ifc was decided to appoint Captains Gillies aud Cualmar and Lieutenant Johnston as a sub-committee to endoavour to recover tho records, and, failing that, to draft a new constitution tor submission to the present committee.

The Dunedin Naval Artillery held their last inspection parade of the year on Thursday

evening, the inspecting officer being Lieutenant- | colonel Webb. After inspection and drill the C( rps adjourned to their orderly room, where tliM inspecting officer presented to tho successful members prizes won at the receub series of shooting matches — viz,, A Class (Martinis): P O. AVoolMb (HftHpiißteisi Bros.' prize, value £3 10<) 1, Gum er M'Millan (Garden Watson's priz", value £2) 2, VO. lerry (J GibWu prize, value 206) 3. B Class (carbines) : P.O. Jack (Lit ut;eiiant-cornmandiug Allen's prizo, M irtini) 1, Gunner H Hood (trophy, valu*; £2) 2. Gunnnr Mnllor (trophy, value 20s) 3. C Cla«8 (carbines) : Gunner Chamberlain (trophy, value £2) 1. Gunner Bevars (tro[hy, value 25*) 2, Guiiuur Valentine (tn phy, value 15b) 3. Tho corps will send a team to Lyttelton and a team . to Invercargill at Christmas time; and their I annual picuic will be held at Macaudrews on New Year's Day.

A meetiug of the Couucil of the Peuinsula R'fle Association wan held recently at Portobello to considers matters in connection with

the next; meeting of the Association. The infcting was very poorly attended, and in view of this and of tho faob that drifting sand had completely destroyed the tccach, ifc wp.3 decided that the meetiDjf would be discontinued for the present year. The members of the council were also considerably influenced towards this d-ciaion by the fact that) livflt jcir rifle shots in Dunedin showed very little interest in the annual prize-firing of the association, and it was felt thafc unless shoot* iug committees kept their teams free of engage* mcutu at the time when it was held, tha nant« b-r of entries could not be such as to give tho ciunril any hope of a surces-f'il gathering. It now reals, therefore, with shooting men in Duntdin to say whether or not this opportunity of praotiiug on a good open ranga will be thrown away.

Negotiations are going on for several large blocks of Native laud in the Kawhia district;.